APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. 



195 



nour to state, that the enemy had 

 invested this town on the 20th 

 instant; since which period he has 

 rapidly carried on a regular paral- 

 lel and approach against the wall of 

 the town, which I consider as doing 

 much honour to the garrison. I 

 have several times found it neces- 

 sary to drive back the enemy's ad- 

 vance, and to interrupt his works, 

 in which we have met with a slight 

 loss ; and the enemy, from being 

 exposed to the fire of the few small 

 guns we possess on the towers, has 

 suffered considerably. It was only 

 on these occasions that we materi- 

 ally annoyed the enemy; for the 

 wall of the town is so completely 

 commandecl, that, in a few hours' 

 work, he has every where much 

 better cover than ourselves. The 

 enemy yesterday opened his fire 

 at half-past ten, and continued to 

 batter in breach at a distance of 

 about 300 yards, with four French 

 16-pounders on the east wall, near 

 the Retiro gate, and four howitzers 

 and other smaller pieces playing on 

 the island and causeway. He con- 

 tinued a constant fire until night, 

 the first and each shot passing 

 through the wall, and through 

 some houses in the rear of it. Be- 

 fore night a practicable breach was 

 effected. He this day continued to 

 widen the breach, and, I imagine; 

 will not attempt the assault un- 

 til it is extended to the tower on 

 each flank (a space of about forty 

 yards). I have traversed the streets, 

 and have taken the only measure 

 by which there is a chance of pre- 

 serving the place — that of defend- 

 ing the houses. The enemy's 

 force employed in the siege is 

 stated at 10,000 ; probably this is in 

 tome degree exaggerated. A con- 



stant fire of musketry is inter- 

 changed. I have particularly to 

 regret the loss of the service of 

 Lieutenant Guanter, deputy-assist- 

 ant quarter-master-general, a very 

 intelligent and brave officer, who 

 is severely wounded. Inclosed is 

 a return of killed and wounded 

 since my last. 



I have the honour to be, &c. 

 (Signed) J. H. Skerrett, 

 Colonel. 



London Gazette Extraordinary. 



Dcivtiing- Street, Jan. 28. 

 Capt. O'Donoghue, acting aid- 

 de-camp to Colonel Skerrett, has 

 arrived this morning at Lord Li- 

 verpool's office, with dispatches 

 from Major- General Cooke, of 

 which the following are copies : — 

 My Lord, — I beg leave to con- 

 gratulate your Lordship upon the 

 complete failure of the enemy's ex- 

 pedition against Tariffa, and refer 

 you to the inclosed copy of my letter 

 to Gen. Lord Wellington, convey- 

 ing Col. Skerrett's reports of the 

 French having been repulsed with 

 great loss in assaulting the breach 

 which they had effected in the 

 wall, and of their having retreated 

 on the night of the 4th, leaving 

 their heavy artillery and a quantity 

 of stores on the ground. 



Your lordship will see that Co- 

 lonel Skerrett, and the brave troops 

 under his command, have tho- 

 roughly done their duty. He has 

 expressed his sense of the effectual 

 co-operation of the Spanish troops 

 under General Copons, who, in 

 his report gives his full approbation 

 of the conduct of Colonel Skerrett, 

 2 and 



